17th November  Norfolk Blood Bikes 

 Norfolk Blood Bikes   

"We'll go no matter what" 

At our November meeting we welcomed Keith from the Norfolk Blood Bikes charity.

The first group of motorcyclists to carry blood for the NHS was set up in Oxford in 1962. We were shown an extract from a video of that time. How times have changed!!

Norfolk Blood Bikes was founded in 2011.  - Charity number 1148669

This charity fills a gap in NHS services. The volunteers are on call to provide a free of charge out of hours service to take or collect - blood, blood products, samples, (including Covid 19) instruments and breast milk.

The Group work with the three major hospitals NHS Queen Elizabeth, Norfolk and Norwich and the James Paget. Also, with the Air Ambulance and the Milk bank. There is no government funding, and the charity relies on donations. 

The rota of volunteers are available for the evening and night shift, all day Saturday and Sundays and Bank holidays.

When the charity was founded in Norfolk it only had two second-hand police motorcycles. Now it is a charity with trustees, 70 riders, fund raisers, controllers and Administration staff. In 2021/2022 the Norfolk blood bikes carried 3067 tasks and travelled 166,000 miles. Equipment now consists of 12 motorcycles and 4 cars; all vehicles carry the Norfolk Blood Bikes’ livery. 

In recognition of their work Norfolk Blood Bikes were presented with the Queens Award for Voluntary service in 2021. This is equivalent to an MBE - the highest accolade for a voluntary service.

 

Judy Leggett

Norfolk Blood Bikes website https://norfolkbloodbikes.org.uk/

 

Date: 
Thursday, 17 November, 2022 - 19:30